(File Photo) Jimmy Smith, from left, Robin Donnelly; Judge Mike Bradford, Luis Sanchez, and Randy Prude listen to citizens during the Commissioners Court public hearing at the Midland County Courthouse in the

County commissioners approved a countywide burn ban Tuesday, nearly a month before summer officially begins but a few days after rain soaked Midland.

The burn ban is effective for up to 90 days, but the county fire marshal can make a recommendation to commissioners for a renewal.

Statewide, 79 counties, including Midland, have enacted burn bans as of Tuesday morning. Surrounding counties Ector and Martin have not established burn bans, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The burn ban comes after the downpour during Memorial Day weekend. To date, 2.26 inches of rain fell in May — 1.83 inches on Sunday alone.

But despite the rainfall, Fire Marshal Dale Little recommended a burn ban. He told commissioners the ban is not just for residents’ safety, but also to help first responders, whose resources are wearing thin.

“The equipment, just with the event over the weekend, is stretched to beyond capacity,” County Judge Mike Bradford said, referring to a gas line fire in south Midland on Saturday that required a cleanup through the next day.

Little said the Midland Fire Department was called out into the county 220 times in April, an increase from the 156 runs in April 2013.

“We’re getting way too many of these controlled burns,” Little told commissioners. “And most of them are not controlled.”

People tend to start controlled burns to dispose of trash, whether it’s small garbage bags or larger items such as couches. But there have been instances in which people dumped chemicals, such as flares, in their controlled fire, making it a safety issue, Little said.

Little said enacting the burn ban — two days after the rain — is more of a “bigger picture” decision. He explained that the coming hot summer days will dry out the area again.

Although summer officially begins on June 21, Midland is already experiencing hot and dry conditions. The National Weather Service is predicting high temperatures in the 87- to 94-degree range and a 10 percent or less chance of rain through Monday.

“It (dry conditions) is going to make a bigger threat for fire,” Little said. “And that could be within a week, that could be within two weeks.”